BOSTON DOCTORS PRESCRIBE BIKE-SHARING

This week in Boston, doctors introduced a program called Prescribe-a-Bike, offering low-income residents struggling with obesity an annual Hubway bike sharing membership for the low price of $5. The program is being administered by Boston Medical Center in partnership with the city of Boston. Qualifying patients will have access to Hubway’s 1,100 bikes at 130 locations. Participants will also receive a free helmet.

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And Ron Richings:

SUNDAY PARKWAYS IN PORTLAND

Call it Cyclovia, or Sunday Parkways, or any of a dozen other names. It is fun – mass celebration – a great time had by all. But not in Vancouver. Why? Why not here? We have all of the necessary ingredients – Perhaps just need the Vision to do it. Have a look at how they have done it in Portland for several years. It isn’t rocket science.

I have volunteered there for these events at least the last three years and plan to so again this year. Would love to be able to do so at home, rather than travelling though.

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And Ken Ohrn:

GOOD INTENTIONS IN MARKETING

Solterra Group of Companies has a presentation centre at Seymour and Smithe selling new condos in Chinatown at Keefer and Main. The centre’s windows have a bigger-than-life-size and very stylish bicycle decorating the window. But the route shown there and on their web site to the condo is a car-oriented route involving Seymour, Hastings, (or Georgia and the viaduct ) and Main Street.

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They seem unaware that a bike can get there easily too, since the Dunsmuir bike lane is pretty close. And Union Street, Columbia and Keefer are reasonably bike-friendly.

Car-capacity reductions seem common on Sundays, such as parking being allowed on 12th, so I presume traffic is lower.

You’d need a regular group of a dozen volunteers or so to get the ‘no access’ signs put up on the cross-streets, and to distribute planters to mark out the rambla. Need some thought to balance beauty, visibility and simplicity in the markers/planters.

No, it is certainly not rocket science. Simply put, Vancouverites (and I am one of them) are wealthy (on average) and, therefore, spoiled on 4-wheels. We resist change because we feel entitled to do so. We need a shove to alter our routine and try out alternative transportation methods. City Council, whichever Party, needs to continue to push us in this direction; it is risky for Council if too many citizens oppose the discomfort of change, but it is essential for Council to lead the people to make these changes if Vancouver is going to progress into the future. The pictures in this video of Portland remarkably ressemble closed Point Grey Road now, with cyclists, pedestrians, runners, wheelchairs, etc. all out and sharing the road. Perhaps, the success of closed Point Grey Road will lead the way to achieving more such unified and socially integrated neighbourhood roadways.